As you can tell, Washington D.C. is abuzz with controversy. Even as President Donald Trump visits the city to celebrate historic low crime rates, residents and city officials continue to deal with the fallout from a large-scale military occupation. As of September 1, Trump claimed that “Carjacking in DC is down 87%” and that “ALL other categories of crime are likewise down massively.” Recently, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that law enforcement had made 1,599 arrests. They confiscated 165 illegal firearms throughout the course of the operation.
Despite these claims, a federal judge recently ruled that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in civilian law enforcement. Threat Trump backs 2,000 troops deployed in Washington D.C. As requested, their stay may last into December to guarantee that servicemembers will be able to access their benefits.
Our local leaders have been alarmed by the increasing militarization of our city. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed an executive order formalizing cooperation with federal forces, establishing the “Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center.” This new center seeks to institutionalize the collaboration between city officials and federal agencies, even involving the FBI. Bowser did make her position on the whole scenario clear, saying,
“Let me tell you, without equivocation, that the mayor’s order does not extend the Trump emergency. In fact, it does the exact opposite. What it does is lays out a framework for how we will exit the emergency. The emergency ends on September 10.”
Montgomery, Md Trump promotes Washington D.C. as a model for other states. Only 17-20% of residents truly favor the federalized policing or the armed presence of the National Guard. This discontent has sparked widespread community resistance, with local organizations rallying against what they view as an overreach of federal authority.
Free DC, a grassroots coalition advocating for home rule since the 1990s, has emerged as a central figure in this resistance movement. They have planned nightly “cacophony protests,” banging pans to express their opposition where it’s legal to do so, during curfew hours. As part of this process, they developed an “Adopt a Curfew Zone” program. With this campaign, they hope to increase community engagement and support in the face of the federal deployment—repression.
Yet as protests erupt across the country, Trump has made it clear he’s willing to deploy military aid outside D.C. On his part, Turner stated that he would be “honored” to receive a call from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to discuss deploying National Guard troops to address persistent safety issues in the state.
“I would love to have Governor Pritzker call me. I’d gain respect for him and say we do have a problem, and we’d love to send in the troops because, you know what, the people they have to be protected.” – Donald Trump
The administration’s approach has polarized opinions within Washington D.C., as residents weigh their safety against what they perceive as an erosion of local governance. While statistics indicate a significant decrease in crime rates, the residents remain unconvinced. They express concern over the approach taken to accomplish this steep drop.